


Friends

by Blackghost7



Category: NCIS
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Team Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-12
Updated: 2015-11-12
Packaged: 2018-05-01 07:22:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5197304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackghost7/pseuds/Blackghost7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a day of discoveries, two of the team find out they don't know Tony as well as they should have.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friends

When Gibbs, who had been more grumpy and edgy that morning than ever, paled as he took the call that finally came, McGee and Ziva immediately raised their gazes to him in alarm. 

They knew Gibbs' mood was awful because Tony wasn't there, and Tony was absent without leaving a message. Several calls from Gibbs and texts from McGee had gone unanswered in the few hours the three of them had already spent in the bullpen, and while Ziva and McGee weren't worried yet - thinking that Tony had just made a late night of it and was sleeping off a hangover - Gibbs obviously didn't feel the same. They didn't know that Gibbs had already spent some time in Abby's lab to have her trace Tony's phone, without result, and that he had asked Ducky to discretely start making phone calls to his friends in the various hospitals in the area to see if Tony was there. Just as Gibbs, face devoid of all emotion and staring at his coffee up as if for the first time in his life he actually abhorred the hot liquid, clicked his cell shut, Ducky, Palmer and Abby came into the bullpen, their faces worried.

"Jethro…"

It took long moments before Gibbs finally glanced up at his old friend.

"Ducky…"

"I found him, Jethro."

Gibbs swallowed.

"I know, Duck. I just got the call. Bethesda."

Nodding, Ducky eyed his friend worriedly. 

"Yes, Jethro. Let me drive you there."

It spoke clearly of Gibbs' distraught mind that he actually let Ducky guide him to the elevator and down to the garage. Abby and Jimmy walked with them, and Abby waived subduedly as the elevator door closed on the two. 

"Let us know how he is, Gibbs! We'll be there as soon as we can!"

Then Abby grabbed Jimmy's arm and let him lead her back to the bullpen, where McGee and Ziva were waiting for them curiously.

"Abbs?"

Seeing the unshed tears glistening in her eyes, McGee got up and tried to pull Abby into a hug, but she deflected him in favor of Palmer, burying her face into his shoulder instead. Surprised and a little hurt, McGee turned to the Autopsy Gremlin.

"Jimmy?"

"It's Tony, Agent McGee. He was in a car crash this morning, and was transported to Bethesda for emergency care."

The two agents stared at them for a few moments, before Ziva finally spoke.

"Tony was in an accident? I figured he was just sleeping late."

Abby turned to glare at her, but Palmer pulled her back to him, trying to shield the look. Ziva saw it though, and McGee spotted it too, wondering what that was about.

"Is Tony okay, Jimmy?"

"We don't know yet, McGee. We'll have to wait for Agent Gibbs or Doctor Mallard to contact us."

Without a further word, Palmer led Abby out of the bullpen and back downstairs, where they waited together for the call while trying to finish their work. 

*****

When Tony heard the raised voices of the Emergency Room nurses, followed by the dulcet tones of Ducky to soothe them, he plastered a smile on his face and turned to the curtain surrounding the examination table he was sitting on. His smile only grew wider and more genuine when Gibbs tore the curtain aside and stepped up to him.

"Hey, Jethro."

Before he got the chance to say anything more, he was squeezed into a tight embrace. Softly patting his lover's back, he whispered into the man's ear.

"I'm okay, Jethro. Really, I'm okay. Just a few bruises. Nothing to worry about. Not even a concussion this time. I'm okay."

By the time Ducky had calmed the nurses and explained that Gibbs was Tony's next of kin, and then stepped into the examination space as well, he was greeted by the sight of his old friend placing soft kisses on his lover's lips and forehead, holding him tightly. Ducky smiled and grabbed the chart outlining the findings the emergency room doctors had written down about Tony. As he read through the chart, he half-listened to the soft words exchanged between his two friends.

"Your phone…"

"Got smashed. My car's wrecked too."

"Why…"

"They wouldn't let me call you until they'd checked me out. I'm sorry, Jethro…"

"No! No… Tony… I'm just grateful you're okay."

Pulling back a little and staring into his lover's eyes, Gibbs needed to be sure. 

"You really are okay, right, Tony? Ducky? Is he okay?"

Ducky grinned at his friend and put back the chart, then moved to Tony's other side and quickly checked him over. Then he smiled at both of them.

"Anthony is fine, Jethro. Like he said, some bruising, a few scrapes, but everything is looking well."

Releasing his breath in a long, soft sigh, Gibbs held onto to Tony again. 

"Thank God."

Tony grinned. 

"Thank my quick reflexes! If I hadn't swerved, I would've hit that truck head on and probably be a lot worse off."

Seeing Gibbs pale again at those words, Tony pulled the man back into his embrace, once more reassuring him.

"I'm fine, Jethro. Really."

Nodding minutely, Gibbs languished in Tony's arms for a moment longer, then pulled back again to look at Ducky.

"Can I take him home, Duck?"

After a long look at the two of them, Ducky smiled again.

"I see no issue with that, Jethro. I shall go find a doctor to release Anthony. I know you shall take care of him once at home."

And with that, he left the two alone to reassure each other, and went to find the doctor that could sign Tony out of the hospital so Gibbs could take the boy home.

*****

"Gibbs?!"

Abby's voice was shrill with worry as she finally saw her silver fox's name on her phone's display.

"No, it's me, Abbs."

"Tony!! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, my dark goddess. Scrapes and bruises. Ducky is gonna get me out of here, and then Jethro's taking me home."

"Oh thank goodness! Me and Jimmy were so worried! We're coming over!"

Biting her lip at the tense silence she heard on the other end of the line, Abby restrained herself from speaking further.

"Ehm… Abbs…?"

"They were concerned too, Tony. I'm sure of it. Despite what Ziva said…"

The sharp intake of breath from Tony sounded in her ear at the same time she saw Palmer shaking his head in warning.

"What did she say?"

"Tony…"

A soft sigh from Tony.

"It's okay, Abbs. I don't even wanna know."

*****

Abby glared at the rearview mirror the whole way from the Yard to Gibbs' house. Palmer tried to calm her down, but knew he was having little success.

"They care for him too, Abby."

The goth grumbled.

"They shouldn't be here."

"He's their partner, Abby. Of course they're worried."

Abby didn't dignify that with an answer, just glared at the Charger following them to Gibbs' house, and she was out of the car and at the front door even before McGee and Ziva had the chance to catch up with her.

Once inside, her eyes fell immediately to Gibbs, relaxed back onto his couch, his arms tightly around Tony, whispering softly into the younger man's ear as Tony was safely ensconced against Gibbs' chest. She smiled. The two of them were so good together. Gibbs was softer at home, less enraged with the world, and Tony was calmer, more settled. Tony was quiet and relaxed in Gibbs' hold, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, his bare feet on the couch, and she could barely see any injuries as he gently clung to Gibbs. She threw a smile at Ducky, pressed a kiss to Gibbs' cheek, then lifted Tony's feet and settled on the couch, holding his feet in her lap and softly stroking his thigh comfortingly.

"Are you sure you're okay, Tony?"

Smiling at her and the Autopsy Gremlin who settled in another chair, Tony nodded.

"I'm really fine, Abbs. No worries."

But his twinkling eyes deliberately went blank when he saw Ziva and McGee come in and take seats as well, their eyes wide as they took in the scene before them. Tony tried to pull back from his lover's embrace, but Gibbs wouldn't let him, holding him a little tighter instead. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them for long moments. Ziva spoke first.

"Why are you hugging Tony, Gibbs?"

Gibbs just snorted, and reached for the beer on the side table to take a long sip. Surprised but pleased when his boy finally spoke up for himself, and even more pleased at the words that came out of Tony's mouth, Gibbs squeezed Tony a little tighter to him yet again.

"Because Jethro loves me, Ziva. And he is worried about me."

Pressing a soft kiss to Tony's temple in thanks and confirmation, Gibbs tried to shield the younger man, but Tony still caught the soft smiles on Abby, Ducky and Jimmy's faces, and the confused looks on Tim and Ziva's. McGee cleared his throat after long moments.

"And how long has this been going on?"

Tony scooted imperceptibly closer to Gibbs before he answered.

"Years."

McGee glanced at Abby.

"You knew?"

Abby just stroked her hand over Tony's thigh again and smiled. Her silence was so unnatural, it was unnerving to McGee, but Tony answered instead.

"Jimmy knew first. He caught us making out in the parking garage, and after filming us on his phone for about five minutes…" - a glare from Gibbs at Palmer, who smiled back unapologetically - "… he finally cleared his throat to let us know he was there. Not much use denying it to him after that."

"Still got that video, Palmer?"

Palmer's eyes twinkled at Gibbs.

"Of course!"

"Told you to delete that."

"Never, Agent Gibbs."

But Gibbs just squeezed his arm around Tony again as he took another sip of his beer, and Tony tried to hide his chuckles against Gibbs' chest.

"Abbs walked in on us…"

"Which is when Gibbs started locking his door…" Abby added with a pout.

"… and Ducky realized when he came over and found my stuff all over the place."

Another long silence stretched between them as Ducky, Abby and Jimmy smiled at the two men again.

"Why… why did you never tell us, Tony?"

Turning his head, Tony peered at Ziva.

"I didn't feel the need to share."

She scoffed.

"You share everything, Tony. Every detail we do not even want to hear. It is disgusting!"

Tony's little smile was sad again.

"Do I now, Ziva?"

Stunned into being quiet again, Ziva and McGee just stared at them and thought back to the last time Tony had actually regaled them with tales of dates. That had been a long time ago. Tony sighed and sat up, extracting himself from Gibbs' embrace against the older man's wishes.

"I share with my friends, Ziva. And you two have made it clear you're not my friends. Not since Jethro left for Mexico…" - decidedly uncomfortable looks from all of them at that, though for different reasons - "… and maybe even not before then. Certainly not since then."

McGee cleared his throat.

"Tony…"

"No, Tim. You both treated me like crap when Gibbs was gone. Told me at every turn that I wasn't him. Well, guess what? I didn't want to be him, didn't have to be him. I wanted to be WITH him, not be him."

Tony smiled softly at his lover, and got a brush through his hair in apology and appreciation.

"And even since then, you don't respect me. You don't follow my lead or do what I say when he isn't there, and then when he returns hours later, you do exactly what I told you to do anyway, just because he's there then. You both think you're my equals, or even better than me, but you forget… I'm your Senior Agent. I know what I'm talking about. You're not smarter than me, you don't know more than me. I've got more experience, and have been in this game a lot longer than the two of you combined. Friends don't…"

Tony swallowed down his emotions and anger, and Abby took the opportunity to speak softly.

"Friends don't put 'trainee' stickers on the guy who's doing the best he can under crappy circumstances…"

Quickly turning to Abby, Tony tugged one of her pigtails in an affectionate gesture.

"We talked about that, Abbs. We're good."

She blinked away the regret and pulled him into a hug.

"I know, Tony…"

Ducky hummed, and looked a little embarrassed.

"Friends do not let their own anger at a situation overwhelm their feelings, and take it out on the talented and gifted young man trying to keep everything and everyone together…"

Tony grinned at the ME a little ruefully.

"It's okay, Ducky. I know. We said…"

"Yes, Anthony. I know you have forgiven me. It still pains me though how I treated you, dear boy."

Shaking his head, Tony turned back to McGee and Ziva. 

"But you…"

He shook his finger at them warningly.

"You… you never looked past the surface. You never saw me, never gave me a chance."

Tony stared at his hands while he spoke softly.

"You may be able to kill someone with just a paperclip or your little pinkie, Ziva, and maybe I can't, but that's why I've got a gun, and I'm damned good with it."

Gibbs stroked his hand over Tony's back.

"And you think your computer skills are invaluable, McGee, and maybe they are, but that's why we hired you. Can you imagine Gibbs with three of you on his team? Not good. We each have a different skill-set, that's what makes us a good team."

Tony swallowed again. What followed was maybe what hurt the most.

"You, Ziva, never forgave me for Rivkin. Even though your father, your own fucking father, admitted - on camera - that it was a situation of his making, and still you told Gibbs you didn't trust me. A few pretty words to me in the men's room and to Jethro in his basement don't make that right, when your actions don't back up your words. You both turned off the comms and left me without back-up for hours while I was searching for a terrorist. You didn't have my six, and you thought it was funny."

A deep sigh from Tony.

"We're a team, and I would give my life for either one of you in the line of duty any day… I'll protect you and joke around with you, and I'll take your little digs at my expense because I can give as good as I get, but… but we're not friends. And that means I don't have to tell you a single fucking thing about my personal life if I don't want to."

Tony turned to Gibbs with an almost shy, but pained look.

"I'm gonna take a shower. I feel… dirty."

Staring after his lover with anguish in his eyes, Gibbs just nodded. 

*****

By the time Tony finally came back downstairs after his long shower, Gibbs was the only one still there. Tony grabbed beers for both of them, then dropped onto the couch, leaning back against Gibbs' chest, a small smile appearing on his face when Gibbs' arm immediately came around him again to hold him tight. They sipped their drinks in silence for a while.

"You did the right thing, Tony."

Tony shook his head.

"I don't know. Maybe… maybe I should've just let it go. But when they acted like they had every right to know about us, I just…"

"Had to happen sometime. Needed to be said."

"But they looked so hurt… I shouldn't have said anything…"

Putting down his beer, Gibbs wrapped both arms around Tony and pressed his face into his lover's neck before letting out a deep sigh.

"Tony… Why do you always do that? Feel so guilty and worried when someone else might be hurt, but dismissing your own hurts so easily?"

Tony shrugged.

"They're my team. I need to take care of them."

"Shouldn't they not also take care of you then?"

Tony wriggled around in Gibbs' embrace until he faced him, then gave him a seductive grin and waggled his eyebrows.

"You take care of me, Jethro. Wanna come upstairs and 'take care' of me?"

Gibbs chuckled and gave Tony a soft kiss.

"Yeah, I do. But don't think that offering me your sexy ass is gonna make me forget about this."

Tony turned serious again.

"I know, Jethro. I just… I just want to not think about it for now."

Gibbs held his lover's eyes for a long moment, then nodded.

"Okay."

Then the twinkle reappeared in Tony's eyes.

"So… you still think my ass is sexy after all these years?"

Gibbs just laughed as he dragged Tony off the couch and up the stairs, and then showed Tony his continuing appreciation of that fine feature of the younger man's physique, taking his time about it.

*****

As McGee half-heartedly shot some more aliens on his video screen, his mind was whirling. Dropping the controller and reaching for his drink, he leaned back on his couch and closed his eyes. Tony and Gibbs? Tony and Gibbs! Years, Tony had said. How could he have missed that? But to his surprise, he wasn't really bothered by it. He could even understand why they wouldn't have said anything. Gibbs was a private man, and Tony had his playboy image to protect, and if word got to the Director, Vance would surely split them up. No, McGee could understand them keeping it quiet. It hurt that Abby hadn't told him, hadn't even hinted at it once when she had apparently known for a long time. McGee didn't care so much that Palmer and Ducky had kept it secret as well, but Abby? He'd thought he and Abby were close, and good friends.

Friends.

Tony had said that they weren't friends. That had hurt, but what had gotten to McGee even more were the pain and disappointment in Tony's voice as he had said it. Every word had felt like a blow to McGee as he saw and heard the impact of what McGee had thought of as little jokes and some teasing boasting about his computer skills had had on Tony. McGee frowned to himself. Had it really been teasing? Little jokes? Tony was right that turning off the comms that day had left him without back-up. McGee swallowed. That had not been funny, it had been stupid. And dangerous. He'd left his teammate all alone out there. Tony would never do something like that to him. And the boasting? Why did McGee feel the need to do that constantly? Tony may not be as good with computers as McGee, but he could run traces and do background checks just as well as McGee. It's just that since McGee was the computer expert, Gibbs and Tony most times just let him do his thing. They let him. They LET him. And when he found something and reported his findings, the two of them nodded and moved on with the new information. When Tony came up with clues or evidence or a viable theory through other means than a computer search, he didn't boast about it, just told them how he'd done it. McGee suddenly realized that Tony did that so McGee could use that in future cases, and McGee had. And sometimes, Tony would have figured something out, but instead of just telling them, would lead McGee to the answer by giving him hints, guiding his thoughts to where the answer was. And Tony didn't crow about it, would just look at McGee with a proud little smile when he got to the answer.

And then something else flashed through McGee's mind. Senior. Tony hadn't said anything about it, but then, he rarely talked about the man, and McGee could understand why. He himself did not have a good relationship with his father the admiral, but Senior was something else all together. The few things Tony had let slip over the years had made McGee wonder at exactly what had happened during his childhood, what it would have been like, but as soon as McGee had met Senior, he'd been taken with the older man. Had let himself been taken with him, despite the anguished looks Tony couldn't completely hide. And McGee had actually enjoyed seeing Tony off balance whenever Senior was around, had secretly liked seeing the normally so cocky man flustered. McGee swallowed. That had been mean of him, and uncalled for. Tony didn't deserve that.

And still, after all that, Tony had said that he would give his life for him any day. 

McGee put down his drink and rubbed his hands over his face. Tony was right, they weren't friends. Tony had been a friend, but McGee hadn't. Trying to ignore the tight feeling in his chest, McGee went to bed, but knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. He just stared at his ceiling in the dark, letting his thoughts wander. No, they weren't friends right now. But McGee promised himself that they would be, one day.

*****

Ziva sat on her balcony in the low evening light, carefully sharpening her knives to keep her hands occupied while her mind went back over the events of the day. Gibbs and Tony. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised. Her original dossier she had compiled of Tony before she came to America to help Ari had indicated that Tony would gravitate towards a strong personality, and she had smiled at that. Secure enough of herself to think that she had the kind of strong personality he would respond to, she hoped that she could use it to sway Tony over to her side, and into helping her convince Gibbs that Ari wasn't the killer he was looking for. But while their first few moments together had felt promising, she gave up on that hope as soon as she saw Tony and Gibbs together. And after spending only a few hours in the bullpen with Gibbs, Tony and McGee, she knew it was a lost cause. McGee might respond to her, but he would never be able to get Gibbs to let go of the hunt on Ari. And Tony? Well, she had never seen such blatant loyalty and trust between superior and subordinate. In Mossad, the subordinate was always looking for a way to usurp the superior, and the superior for ways to keep the subordinate in place. There was none of that between these two. And even stranger, the loyalty and trust went both ways.

Nothing in her dossier, however, had given her any indication that Tony might be open to a romantic relationship with a man. And his behavior over all the years they had by now worked together, had not hinted at it either. It irked her that Tony had been able to fool her so thoroughly for so long. That Tony was attracted to, or even loved Gibbs, again that wasn't really a surprise. But Gibbs? The women in his past that she knew about had all had strong wills and sharp minds and tongues. So where did Tony fit in? But as she thought it, she knew that wasn't fair. She and Tim liked to joke around about Tony's goofiness and quirks, but they both knew that he was smart, and he could be tenacious. Had she met him somewhere else, not always next to Gibbs, she would readily admit that he fit the strong willed and sharp minded profile. It was just that, compared to Gibbs, well, who could compete with that? But seeing the two of them on the couch that afternoon again in her mind's eye, she thought that maybe Tony could. Because that casual but tight embrace they had been in, had been more about Tony reassuring Gibbs than about Gibbs supporting Tony. And while Gibbs had remained silent as usual, Tony had spoken some unpleasant truths. Yes, he was strong, and smart, and again she was annoyed that she had not seen it that way before, that Tony had been able to hide all that from her.

What Tony had said that afternoon had hurt, but she admitted at least to herself that it had been true. She hadn't been his friend. Her teasing of him was sometimes a little mean, and she remembered the disappointment she had seen in his eyes when she had deliberately fawned over Senior, and that she had been secretly pleased with it. The comms, that had been cruel and dangerous, she saw that now. And Michael… but she had had feelings for him, and she had trusted her father, and even when Eli admitted his part in all of that, he was still her father! And Tony was… At that moment, Tony was not her partner, but a foreign agent who had killed her boyfriend, and of course she had chosen her father's side. But Tony had been the one to push for the operation in Somalia to avenge her, while her father hadn't lifted a finger. And when they got back, Tony had supported her despite knowing that she had said she didn't trust him. He had been there for her, but she hadn't returned that support. It had just been easier to keep him at a distance with barbs and jibes, and she and McGee had enjoyed teasing him. Teaming up on him. She frowned. Yes, that was what they had done. They had teamed up on Tony, causing a rift in their team, but Tony had let it slide off his back even though she now realized how much it had hurt him. She wondered how many times Gibbs had comforted him at home, given him the support Tony should have had from her and McGee. 

She really hadn't been his friend.

Stabbing her favorite knife deeply into the wooden top of the table on her balcony, she promised herself that that would change.

*****

The following morning, the bullpen was quiet as they all went through paperwork at their desks, and there was tension in the air. McGee had shown up with coffee, and when he'd handed one to Tony, the Senior Agent had smiled.

"Thanks, McGee."

But the cup had sat untouched on Tony's desk ever since, gone completely cold by now. They all looked up hopefully when Gibbs' phone rang.

"Yeah. Gibbs…. Uhuh…."

Then the phone was clicked shut and Gibbs grabbed his coat.

"Grab your gear. Dead sailor in the Potomac."

*****

For the next couple of days, they worked the case and the tension of that first morning dissipated. But when Tony joked around, McGee and Ziva just chuckled without their usual complaining about his juvenile behavior, and when he quoted movies, they just looked at him with patient smiles as if saying 'Good one, Tony', but didn't huff at him in annoyance. When at last the arrest was made and they were settling in to write their reports, Tony gave his lover a look. Gibbs got up from his desk immediately.

"Going for coffee. DiNozzo, with me."

Once the switch was flipped and the elevator came to a shuddering halt, Gibbs faced Tony and cupped his neck with one hand, brushing his thumb through the soft, short hairs on the back of Tony's head. Tony looked at him, startled. They didn't do this at work, had never done this at work. They both had strict rules about that. Gibbs quirked up one corner of his mouth.

"You needed to talk to your lover, not your Boss."

"They're driving me crazy, Jethro!"

"You knew what you said would have repercussions."

"Yeah, but… this just feels like they're indulging me, pitying me… I just wanted to…"

"Seems to me like what you said hit home for them. That they're thinking about it. Trying to find a way to make it right. That isn't gonna happen overnight, Tony."

Tony looked down at his feet, his voice soft.

"I shouldn't have said anything…"

Gibbs' growl was sharp and made Tony look up at him again.

"Yes, you damn well did! I would've done it, a lot sooner than this, if you'd have let me! Time they heard it!"

Tony stared at his lover for long moments, then gave a tiny nod. Gibbs' voice was softer now.

"Give them time. Let them figure it out. I've got your back."

Throwing their rules out the window just this once, Tony pulled Gibbs into a tight embrace.

"I know you do, Jethro. I know you do."

Lingering against each other for a moment more, Gibbs finally stepped back.

"Come on, Tony. Let's get some coffee."

*****

"Hey, Abby."

"McGee! What are you doing here? I thought your case was closed? Did I miss something? Should I…"

"No, Abbs. I'm not here about the case."

She watched him wander around her lab, reaching out for stuff but knowing better than to actually touch it. She smiled.

"What is it, Timmy?"

He looked at her, but words didn't come.

"Is it about Tony? And Gibbs?"

McGee finally nodded.

"Why didn't you ever tell me, Abbs?"

"It wasn't my story to tell, Tim."

"I thought we were friends."

"You and me? Of course, we're friends! You and Tony? Not so much."

"And you and Tony?"

"Tony's my best friend, McGee. I can't believe you didn't know that."

When he looked at her in surprise, she huffed in annoyance.

"Aside from Gibbs and Ducky, I've know Tony the longest. Gibbs is like a father to me, and Ducky's like a favorite uncle, but Tony… Tony's my big brother, McGee. He looks out for me, takes care of me. He knows when something's bothering me, and he and Gibbs will do everything they can to make it right again. I love Tony just as much as I love Gibbs, and that's like, a lot! And it makes Gibbs happy when Tony and go out together, because then he knows that I'm safe and Tony's having fun. Tony likes going out, and Gibbs likes staying in, so me and Tony together is perfect for everyone."

"You go out with Tony?"

"Well, duh! Like, all the time? We used to go to clubs a lot in the early years, but lately we go to bars, or this sweet little jazz-club, or we go dancing… Tony does a mean tango! Sometimes I miss going to a club with him, it's always so much fun to see all the boys and girls trip over themselves to get his attention, but Tony thinks he's too old for that now…"

Taking a moment to let that sink in, McGee eyed her again.

"About that… I didn't know Tony was gay?"

"Oh, Tony isn't gay, Timmy. He loves the ladies!"

"But… He and Gibbs?"

Abby shrugged. 

"Tony just loves Gibbs more."

"So… when you and Tony go out together, that's like… a chaperone thing from your side?"

Now Abby glared at him.

"Bite your tongue, McGee! How dare you! I told you, Tony loves my Gibbs, and he would never cheat on him! Don't you know him at all?"

Then Abby cut off the conversation by whirling back to her computer and studiously ignoring McGee, turning up the volume of her music so any hope of talking was squashed. McGee walked out of the lab, muttering to himself.

"No, I guess I don't know him at all."

*****

"Ducky? Can I have a moment of your time?"

"Ziva, my dear! Of course! Come, come! I'll pour you a nice, fresh cup of tea."

Smiling at the older man, Ziva seated herself at his desk and waited until he had poured the tea and they both had a steaming cup in hand.

"Ducky, I did not know that Tony was gay."

"Oh, I don't think he is, my dear. Young Anthony appreciates the female form every bit as much as he purports to. "

She frowned.

"And Gibbs?"

"Who knows about Jethro? He has always been one to value people for who they are, not what others think. I do not think the gender of the person would ever matter to him, if it was someone he could truly trust."

He saw a small blush creep up her cheeks.

"Ah. And that is really the crux of the matter, is it not, my dear?"

She nodded.

"Ducky, I…"

"Jethro has always been slow to trust people. Until you arrived, Anthony had always been the only exception to that. Now I have my theories about why you were so quickly included into Gibbs' inner circle, but let us not speak of that. Anthony trusts equally slowly. His childhood and other occurrences… Well, let us not speak of that either. But once you have Anthony's trust, it is not easily dissuaded. I gather the trust that had been between the three of you has been broken in some way."

Again, Ziva nodded.

"Then you are at a quandary, my dear. Once broken, the trust of either man is not easily regained. I have often felt that while Jethro has had other people in his life he could completely trust, it is not the same for young Anthony. Jethro may be the only one who has never completely let him down… except for that unfortunate hiatus of his. And that is when Anthony would have needed us all the most, but we were not there for him."

Ducky's eyes fixed on the blank wall in regret, and Ziva leaned forward to touch his arm.

"Tony seems to have forgiven you for whatever transgression you think you made against him?"

"Yes… Yes, he did. More easily than I deserved. He and I spoke a lot. He forgave me far more easily than I forgave myself…"

Ducky stared into his half empty tea cup for a moment.

"Ziva… Despite everything life has thrown at him, Anthony remains ever hopeful. He wants to see the best in people, no matter how often his life and his job have proven otherwise to him. Did you… did you think about what he said that fateful day?"

"I did, Ducky. As much as it pains me to admit it, Tony was right. I have not been a friend to him, while he has been one to me. I seek to make amends."

Ducky smiled.

"Then keep at it, my dear. Anthony is much more forgiving than Jethro will ever be. Try to see that young man for who he really is, try to see through the bravado and the masks. See the real Anthony. I promise you, he will be the staunchest and most loyal friend you will ever find. I have never met a better man."

She smiled again.

"Not even Gibbs?"

Ducky shook his head.

"No, my dear. Not even Jethro."

*****

Months later, they all settled down for Thanksgiving dinner together, and Tony smiled at his friends gathered around their table. He tapped his glass with his fork.

"I… I just wanna say something."

They all looked at him expectantly. He swallowed away the nerves he felt.

"Can we… can we be done with the awkwardness now? We're friends, right?"

Tony looked at everyone, but in the end his gaze lingered on McGee and Ziva.

"I miss you guys fighting back. I miss the jokes and jibes. I like how you huff when we correct your idioms, Ziva, and I'm proud of the backbone you've grown, Probie. That's why I do it, you know? I can't stand that you let me get away with being annoying just because you think that it might hurt my feelings if you don't. I'm stronger than that. I can take it. I…"

"We know that, Tony."

Ziva smiled, and Tony smiled back. McGee grinned.

"So… Does that mean we can start teasing you again, Tony? Because I have quite a list of zingers that I've built up over the past couple of months that I really can't wait to throw at you."

"Throw away, McQuip! Please! But I'm warning you… leave Jethro out of it."

McGee blanched at the thought, then straightened his back.

"Of course, I wouldn't dream of…"

"Good! No one gets to dream about Jethro except me. Now that that's settled…"

Tony held out his glass.

"Friends?"

The entire team raised their glasses to Tony's and repeated it loudly.

"Friends!"

And they all pretended not to notice that when Tony sat down again, Gibbs' hand was strategically placed on his chair so Tony's ass settled into it perfectly.

*****

Lingering at the table after having too much to eat and drink, all of them relaxed and smiling, Tony turned to Ziva when she called for his attention.

"So, Tony…"

"Yes, my Ninja Chick friend?"

"You never told us… How did you and Gibbs get together?"

Abby perked up excitedly.

"Ooh! Good question! I don't know that either!"

McGee hid his face in his hand with a soft groan. He wasn't sure he wanted to know this. In the back of his mind, he knew that the two were in a relationship, but they still never showed it at work, and that made it easy for him to ignore the knowledge that his Boss and his Senior Field Agent were going home together every night.

Tony glanced at his lover, and after receiving a small nod, he turned back to his friends, his family.

"Well… It really wasn't that exceptional, Abbs. I just… It was a couple of months after I started at NCIS. I mean, in Baltimore when we met…"

Tony looked back at Gibbs, and all of them except McGee melted when Gibbs put his hand on the back of Tony's neck, comforting and encouraging him.

"… well… I knew my life was about to change. I just didn't know exactly how much. So when a couple of months later, I finally admitted to myself that I didn't just want Jethro as my Boss, I showed up here."

"Nervous as hell."

Tony glared at his lover for a moment, then smiled.

"Yeah… nervous as hell. I mean, he was my Boss, my mentor, tough guy… a guy… That was really weird."

"He was so cute about it."

"I was not cute, Jethro! I'm not cute! I'm handsome and virile, and manly…"

"And modest…"

They all laughed at that interjection from Jimmy. Tony blushed, even while glaring at his friend.

"You were so quiet, I knew something was wrong."

Tony looked back at Gibbs again. 

"It wasn't wrong, though. It was scary as hell."

"Yeah… yeah, it was."

Tony turned back to his friends.

"So, I just sat there, and then suddenly all these words kept coming out of my mouth…"

"As usual..."

Tony grumbled with a pleased smile at McGee. Yeah, he'd asked for it. The teasing was starting up again, and Tony loved it.

*****

"I'm confused, Boss."

"Yeah? About what."

"Well, I've never been attracted to a guy before, and…"

Tony stopped when Gibbs' head snapped up and his boss looked at him sharply.

"See, that made you uncomfortable. Really? That alone made you uncomfortable? Then I should stop talking now. I CAN stop talking now, Boss."

But before Tony could get up and leave, Gibbs dragged over a sawhorse and poured them both a couple of fingers of bourbon.

"Not uncomfortable. Surprised."

Tony smiled ruefully.

"Yeah… yeah, me too."

Gibbs pushed Tony's chin up with his fingers so he could look at the younger man.

"I'm waiting, Anthony."

And Tony knew Gibbs wasn't just talking about the next words in this conversation.

"And I'm watching, Tony. I'm always watching you."

Tony scratched his throat.

"Yeah… I noticed. And I'm watching you too."

Gibbs quirked his lips. 

"I noticed."

Tony looked up at Gibbs almost shyly.

"You'll wait? Until I can wrap my head around this?"

"I'll wait. But, Tony…"

"Yeah?"

Staring into Tony's eyes, Gibbs let more slip than he had intended.

"I trust you. I need you. I want you. I can only hope you won't make me wait too long."

And when Gibbs pressed his lips softly to Tony's, the younger man could feel the words his Boss - Jethro - couldn't say. Languishing in the kiss for long moments, Tony finally pulled back, staring into Gibbs' eyes and swallowing the emotions that threatened to choke him. 

"I won't, Jethro."

And then he kissed Gibbs again, deeply and passionately this time, his hands roaming over the other man's body, getting used to and loving the feeling of the strong muscles and flat, hairy chest beneath his fingers.

"I trust you too, Jethro. I could - I will - pledge my life to you."

"Careful what you promise, Anthony. I will disappoint you at some point."

"And I'll forgive you. Eventually."

"I can only hope you will."

"I will."

"Then, come back to me when you're done watching and waiting, Anthony."

After a last kiss, Tony stood up and smiled. 

"I will, Jethro. And it will be soon."

And it had been. A few days, a few weeks, Gibbs couldn't really remember, but when he saw Tony standing there in his basement, eyes certain and face determined, he knew Tony had made his choice, and his heart pounded with gratitude and passion. This man was special, so special it nearly broke Gibbs' heart.

As he buried himself between Tony's thighs later that evening, Gibbs stared down at him.

"I'll hurt you."

"No you won't. You feel perfect."

"No, I mean…"

"I know what you meant, Jethro. You'll hurt me, but you won't mean to. And I'll forgive you. Because I love you."

Squeezing his eyes shut, never expecting that he could have this again, Gibbs leaned down and kissed Tony softly.

"I love you, Tony."


End file.
